Silman Engineering, a structural engineer and one of the nation’s foremost specialists in historic preservation, conducted an extensive investigation including probes and analysis from 2012-2015, and concluded that the existing structural system requires extensive demolition for any adaptive reuse scenario.

A summary of their findings are:

80% of the existing exterior brick wall requires replacement

Complete removal and replacement of the existing window system is required

Complete demolition of the interior terra cotta wall is required

Any re-use scenario requires the replacement of nearly all interior structural columns

29th Street entrance must be reconfigured to meet the building code

Despite the extensive challenges with the existing structure, the design team plans to preserve approximately 30% of the building’s fabric.

Environmental Condition

Langan Engineering and Environmental Science, Inc. conducted an extensive investigation of the building’s contents and found numerous contaminants left behind by the plant’s operations (1948-2000). Contaminants include extensive quantities of PCBs, mercury, lead paint and asbestos.

The project’s scope includes the remediation and removal of the oil storage tanks situated in the coal yard prior to the commencement of construction.